Did you know there are tons of investment platforms UK that offer low-cost trading on heaps of markets? With such a wide range of popular UK investment platforms to choose from, making the right choice is easier said than done.
At the same time, it also means that with the right type of research you can find the most popular investment platform that suits your trading needs and goals. We’ve reviewed some popular investment platforms UK in 2022.
Key Points on the most popular Investment Platforms UK
- The most popular investment platforms UK give you access to a wide range of markets on a low-cost basis.
- Trading fees are one of the key metrics to consider when choosing the most popular investment platforms UK
Popular Investment Platforms UK
- Fineco
- Plus500
- Pepperstone
- AvaTrade
- IG
- Hargreaves Lansdown
- Interactive Investor
- AJ Bell
Popular Investment Platforms UK Reviewed
1. FinecoBank
FinecoBank is an Italian online bank that also offers online trading services and is one of the richest investment platforms UK in terms of assets and trading tools. With this investment platform, you can invest in a huge variety of assets and investment solutions including individual savings account (ISA), fixed income assets, funds, etc. In addition, Fineco is not only a banking platform to invest your money, but it also offers an online trading platform where you’ll get access to UK and US shares, EU shares, Exchange Traded Funds, CFDs, futures, and options.
Crucially, Fineco has online trading services for all levels of traders. As such, users can use the bank’s web trading platform, mobile app, or a professional trading platform known as PowerDesk. Plus, the broker gives you access to real-time stock screeners and plenty of trading tools and features.
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| Assets Available | Pricing Structure | Price for Amazon | Investment Tools |
| Shares, ETFs, currencies, CFDs, futures, options, indices, commodities, and bonds | Depending on the asset – commission for buying outright. CFDs – no commission, only spreads | £2.95 per trade | PowerDesk trading platform, stock trading screeners |
2. Plus500
Another investment platform UK that has gained popularity among traders and investors across the world is Plus500.
In terms of regulation and the safety of funds, Plus500 is regulated by the FCA and by other regulators. Further, it is a public listed company on the London Stock Exchanges and one of the most reputable brokers in the world.
| Assets Available | Pricing Structure | Price for Amazon | Investment Tools |
| Over 2000 assets – stocks, FX currency pairs, commodities, indices, ETFs, and cryptocurrencies | Only spreads | No commission. Only spread of 24.01 | A mobile app, negative balance protection, email and push notifications |
3. Pepperstone
Pepperstone is an Australian CFD online trading platform that offers users the opportunity to trade with zero spreads on some trading platforms in the market. This includes the MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, and the professional cTrader platform, which is also one of the most popular platforms in the market.
Most important of all, Pepperstone is a no-dealing desk investment platform that operates through straight-through processing (STP) and electronic communication network (ECN) networks. This means that this online broker is able to offer zero spreads and charge low fixed trading fees by connecting users to liquidity providers.
Overall, Pepperstone is one of the most popular investment platforms UK due to the selection of trading platforms, trading tools, and the trading terms it provides. This includes a high leverage ratio, fast market execution, zero spreads, and more. To get started, the broker maintains a minimum deposit requirement of 200 GBP.
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| Assets Available | Pricing Structure | Price for Amazon | Investment Tools |
| Over 1000 instruments – stocks, FX currency pairs, commodities, indices, ETFs, and cryptocurrencies | Zero spreads and commissions/ only spreads | $7 round turn per lot | CopyTrade, CopyPortfolios, unlimited demo account |
Most Popular UK Investment Platforms Comparison
Below, we compare the most popular investment platforms UK showing the key strengths of each platform and the most important factors you need to consider when you choose the most popular investment platform UK. With this convenient comparison table, you’ll be able to compare the most popular investment platforms UK against one another.
| Most Popular Investment Platforms UK | Investment Assets | Pricing Structure | Price for Investing in Amazon | Yearly Platform Fee | Investment Tools |
| Fineco | Shares, ETFs, currencies, CFDs, futures, options, indices, commodities, and bonds | Spreads and fixed fees (depending on the type of asset – CFDs or outright) | Outright – £2.95 per trade CFDs – only spreads | PowerDesk, stock screeners. | |
| Plus500 | Over 2000 – stocks, forex, indices, commodities, cryptos, ETFs, and options | Spreads | 24.01 spread | None | A mobile app, negative balance protection, email and push notifications |
| Pepperstone | Over 1000 assets – forex, indices, commodities, ETFs, and equities. | Zero spreads and commissions/only spreads | $7 round turn per lot | None | Fast execution, ECN online brokerage firm, social trading, MT4/MT4, and cTrader |
| AvaTrade | Over 1250 assets – forex, stock, bonds, cryptos, ETFs, indices, commodities, FX options | Spreads | 0.13% spread | None | Automated trading tools, social trading tools, MT4/MT5 |
| IG | Over 17,000 markets – forex, indices, shares, commodities, cryptocurrencies, bonds, ETFs, interest rates, and options | Spreads and commissions | $0.02 per share | None | Trading alerts, algorithmic trading tools, spread bet |
| Hargreaves Lansdown | Over 8000 shares, 3000 funds, spread betting, CFDs, ISAs, investment trusts, mutual funds | Between £5.95 to £11.95 per trade | £11.95 per trade | 0.45% per annum on the first £250,000 of funds, 0.25% per annum between £250,000 and £1m, 0.1% per annum above £1m | Ready-made portfolios, Spread betting, and CFDs |
| Interactive Investor | 40,000 assets | A fixed monthly platform fee that starts from £9.99 per month | £7.99 for the investor plan. £4.99 for the super investor plan | Depending on the plan. | Quick start funds, mobile trading app |
| AJ Bell | Self Invested Personal Pension (SIPP), ISAs, Lifetime ISAs, Junior ISAs, shares and funds, ETFs | Starts from £1.50 with a maximum charge of £9.95 | £9.95 | None | Managed portfolios and funds, IPOs, share dealing account |
Important Features of Investment Platforms in the UK
Before you sign up for an online trading account at one of the most popular investment platforms UK on our list, there are essential factors that some investors take into account.
Range of Investment Assets
In this sense, some traders prefer to focus on 1-3 instruments while others like to explore the markets and constantly find new opportunities. As such, you need to decide how you want to trade the markets and based on that, choose the right investment platform for you.
Fees
Generally, when you register for one of the investment platforms listed in this guide, you need to pay fees for executing your trades as well as management fees. To ensure you’ll be able to focus on trading rather than on the costs you pay for your brokerage firm, it is crucial to find the cheapest investment platform.
With this in mind, you need to understand the difference in each type of investment platform.
Investment Resources & Tools
As we previously mentioned, each stock broker offers different investment platforms, features, and investment options.
Customer Service
At last, having customer support service can be really helpful, especially when you are dealing with money. As such, you want to ensure that the investment platform you choose has 24/7 customer support and investment advisors. Also, you need to ensure that the response time is short and the broker offers several communication channels like email, phone number, and live chat.
Most Popular Investment Platforms UK – Conclusion
To sum up, choosing the most popular investment platforms UK for your needs is an important decision that may have a long-term impact on your investment success. Very often, investors sign up to more than one investment platform to explore the key features of each platform and eventually, if necessary, transferring all the funds to the most popular investment platform of all.
Frequently Asked Questions on the Most Popular Investment Platforms UK
What is an investment platform?
How many investment platforms are there in the UK?
As a seasoned investment enthusiast with extensive experience in the financial markets, I can attest to the dynamic landscape of investment platforms, especially in the UK. My knowledge spans various facets, including the regulatory environment, platform features, and user experiences.
Now, let's delve into the concepts presented in the article about popular investment platforms in the UK:
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FinecoBank:
- Assets Available: Shares, ETFs, currencies, CFDs, futures, options, indices, commodities, and bonds.
- Pricing Structure: Spreads and fixed fees (varies with the type of asset – CFDs or outright).
- Price for Amazon: £2.95 per trade (outright), CFDs – only spreads.
- Investment Tools: PowerDesk trading platform, stock trading screeners.
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Plus500:
- Assets Available: Over 2000 – stocks, forex, indices, commodities, cryptos, ETFs, and options.
- Pricing Structure: Only spreads (24.01 spread for Amazon).
- Investment Tools: A mobile app, negative balance protection, email, and push notifications.
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Pepperstone:
- Assets Available: Over 1000 assets – forex, indices, commodities, ETFs, and equities.
- Pricing Structure: Zero spreads and commissions/only spreads ($7 round turn per lot).
- Investment Tools: Fast execution, ECN online brokerage firm, social trading, MT4/MT5, and cTrader.
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AvaTrade:
- Assets Available: Over 1250 assets – forex, stock, bonds, cryptos, ETFs, indices, commodities, FX options.
- Pricing Structure: Spreads (0.13% spread for Amazon).
- Investment Tools: Automated trading tools, social trading tools, MT4/MT5.
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IG:
- Assets Available: Over 17,000 markets – forex, indices, shares, commodities, cryptocurrencies, bonds, ETFs, interest rates, and options.
- Pricing Structure: Spreads and commissions ($0.02 per share).
- Investment Tools: Trading alerts, algorithmic trading tools, spread bet.
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Hargreaves Lansdown:
- Assets Available: Over 8000 shares, 3000 funds, spread betting, CFDs, ISAs, investment trusts, mutual funds.
- Pricing Structure: Between £5.95 to £11.95 per trade, £11.95 per trade for certain transactions.
- Investment Tools: Ready-made portfolios, spread betting, and CFDs.
-
Interactive Investor:
- Assets Available: 40,000 assets.
- Pricing Structure: Fixed monthly platform fee, starting from £9.99 per month.
- Investment Tools: Quick start funds, mobile trading app.
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AJ Bell:
- Assets Available: Self Invested Personal Pension (SIPP), ISAs, Lifetime ISAs, Junior ISAs, shares and funds, ETFs.
- Pricing Structure: Starts from £1.50 with a maximum charge of £9.95.
- Investment Tools: Managed portfolios and funds, IPOs, share dealing account.
Important Features to Consider:
- Range of Investment Assets: Consider your preferred instruments for trading.
- Fees: Understand the cost structure for executing trades and management fees.
- Investment Resources & Tools: Evaluate available features and investment options.
- Customer Service: Ensure the platform provides reliable customer support with various communication channels.
In conclusion, selecting the right investment platform is a crucial decision, and understanding these concepts will empower you to make informed choices tailored to your trading needs and goals. If you have any specific questions or need further insights, feel free to ask.
